Auxiliary cold-starting carburetors for internal combustion engines and feeder tanks thereof

ABSTRACT

This auxiliary carburetor comprises a reservoir which is recharged with liquid, in ordinary, nonatomized liquid form, from a recharge tank through check valves. The liquid is expelled, under air pressure, through a dipping tube and a diffuser which atomizes this liquid.

United States Patent Inventor Maurice Frisch 24 Parc de IIle Verte, 78 Chatou, France Appl. No. 759,088 Filed Sept. 11, 1968 Patented Jan. 5, 1971 Priority Sept. 15, 1967 France No. 121,231

AUXILIARY COLD-STARTING CARBURETORS FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES AND FEEDER TANKS THEREOF 3 Claims, 1 Drawing Fig.

U.S. Cl. 123/180, 123/187.5

Int. Cl F02m 1/04 Field of Search 123/180,

187.5, 180 A.C.E.; 261/C.P.

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,812,755 11/1957 Harvey 123/180 3.205.882 9/1965 Fiedler et al.. 123/187.5 3,379,185 4/1968 Frisch 123/187.5X

FOREIGN PATENTS 669,652 9/1963 Canada 123/180 Primary Examiner-Tim R. Miles Attorney-Fleit, Gipple and Jackson ABSTRACT: This auxiliary carburetor comprises a reservoir which is recharged with liquid, in ordinary, nonatomized liquid form, from a recharge tank through check valves. The liquid is expelled, under air pressure, through a dipping tube and a diffuser which atomizes this liquid.

PATENTED JAN 5191:

1NVENTOR HHLLMCE F ISCII ATTORNEYS AUXILIARY COLD-STARTING CARBURETORS FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES AND FEEDER TANKS THEREOF This invention relates to auxiliary cold-starting carburetors for internal combustion engines and to their feeder tanks.

It is well knownthat internal combustion engines and especially diesel engines are sometimes difficult to start, particularly in cold weather or after they have not been run for a lengthy period.

It has already been proposed to start such engines by injecting a carbureted mixture which is much more inflammable than the normal working mixture.

The starting mixture is obtained by atomizing a highly inflammable liquid contained in a reservoir built into the starting carburetor, the latter being mounted on the engine support or in proximity thereto.

It is obviously necessary to be able to refill the starting carburetors' reservoir when it is empty.

It is the primary object of the present invention to overcome certain drawbacks and risks that may arise due to the need to transfer the liquid from the feeder tank into the auxiliary car burctor's reservoir.

It is necessary above all for-the inflammable liquid or its vapors to be unable to escape or go elsewhere than into the starting carburetor's reservoir, for in the open atmosphere they represent a serious fire if not explosion hazard.

The smell of even minute quantities of such vapors could have inconveniencing effects, moreover.

The starting carburetors reservoir must also be prevented from being filled with a liquid other than the one for which it was originally designed, otherwise ill-informed users could be tempted to use a liquid which, though cheaper, might be too explosive and therefore detrimental to long engine life.

The present invention includes the main steps: of enclosing the liquid recharging fuel together with a pressurized expelling gas inside a feeder tank the delivery orifree of which, provided in a union member, is closed by a check valve, said gas being chemically inert with respect to the liquid fuel, notable examples being nitrogen or carbon dioxide, the fuel being expelled in solid form and not as a spray; 1

of providing a check vaive for closing the filling orifice of the reservoir built into the starting carburetor, which orifice is provided in a union member complementary to that of the feeder tank; and

of providing means at the auxiliary carburetor end and/or feeder tank end for opening the feeder tank check valve 7 at least when said feeder tank and carburetor are leaktightly interconnected, the feeder tank check valve and possibly the open means thereof (in cases where they are provided at the feeder tank end) being mounted in the bottom of the union, in a position recessed from the open end thereof where it is inaccessible for direct manipulation.

The description which follows with reference to the accompanying nonlimitative drawing of a preferred embodiment will give a clear understanding of the manner in which the invention can be carried into practice." I

The single FIG. of the accompanying drawing shows, partly in front elevation and partly in axial section, a portion of a starting carburetor the its recharging feeder tank according to the present invention.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, the auxiliary starting carburetor shown thereon comprises a built-in reservoir 1 and a feeder tank for recharging this reservoir 1 with a combustible liquid 2 of guaranteed origin, that is to say that it is difficult to recharge resewoir I with any liquid not originating from the feeder tank.

On engine starting, the carburetor draws off from its built-in reservoir I a certain quantity of the liquid 2, atomizes it and injects the carbureted mixture thereby obtained through a duct 3 into the engine (not shown). l

The recharging liquid is contained together with a pressurized expelling gas in a feeder tank 4 of which the discharge orifice 5, provided in a union 6, is closed by a check valve 7, said gas being chemically inert with respect to said liquid, examples there of being nitrogen gas or carbon dioxide.

The recharging orifice 8 ofreservoir 1 opens into a union 9 complementary to union 6 and is likewise closed by a check valve 10.

Means are provided at the auxiliary carburetor end and/or the feeder tank end for opening at least, the feeder tank check valve, when said tank and the carburetor are leaktightly interconnected.

To this end the auxiliary carburetor union 9 preferably comprises a nipple 11 through which filling orifice 8 opens, the discharge orifice 5 of feeder tank union 6 being ringed by a seal 12 made of an elastomer material which forms a seat for check valve 7 and which, when auxiliary carburetor nipple 11 is driven into orifice 5 and repels check valve 7 whereby to open this valve, encircles nipple 11 so as to form a leaktight joint for transfer of the liquid from feeder tank 4 into reservoir 1, responsively to the pressure of the neutral expelling gas which is contained in feeder tank 4 and which opens check valve 10 by overcoming its countering spring.

In the specific embodiment hereinbefore disclosed and shown in the accompanying drawing, the means for opening feeder tank valve 7 when feeder tank 4 is connected to the auxiliary carburetor are provided on the auxiliary carburetor in the form of a nipple 11.

When feeder tank 4 is separated from the auxiliary carburetor it is thus impossible by direct manipulation to accidentally open its valve 7 mounted on the bottom of union 6, in a position recessed from the orifice 5 thereof.

By way of an alternative embodiment (not shown), part at least of the means referred to may be mounted on feeder tank 4, for instance in the form of a nipple rigid with valve 7, in which case it is necessary in accordance with the present invention to ensure that such means remain in union 6, set back from its orifice 5, i.e. in a position protected from inadvertent direct manipulation liable to cause an accidental discharge under pressure of the highly inflammable liquid (which it is most desirable to keep away from contact with the respiratory organs and the skin). p

This averts a risk which could be aggravated by the fact that a feeder tank 4, located for example on board a motor vehicle, could be within reach of a child sitting beside the driver or passengers when they are smoking.

During transfer of the liquid from feeder tank 4, held head downwards, to the reservoir 1 it is clearly essential for the air or vapors contained in reservoir 1, the volume of which is replaced by liquid 2 originating from tank 4 and entering reservoir 1, to be able to escape from the latter. Such air or vapors are accordingly conveyed into a duct which connects with the engine inlet manifold (not shown). Such duct will preferably be the duct 3 referred to precedingly. This avoids any propagation of highly inflammable vapors during recharging of the auxiliary carburetor, such vapors being conveyed into the inlet manifold where they are harmless and serve on the contrary to facilitate the next engine start.

During the atomization phase in the embodiment depicted in the accompanying drawing, reservoir 1 receives air under pressure through a nonreturn valve (not shown), fitted in a tube 13 (leading for instance from-a hand-operated piston pump, not shown, or from an electric compressor or any other source of compressed air) and contains a dripping tube 14 which extends down to the bottom of the reservoir and is connected to duct 3 through a diffuser 15 the diffusion chamber 16 of which has one of its ends opening into dipping tube 14 via a nozzle 17. Passagesi8, numbering four for example, are formed in diffuser 15, aI'OJEId the nozzle 17. The other end of diffusion chamber 16 communicates with duct 3 via a check valve consisting, say, of a ball 19 applied by a compression spring 20 against its seat, above diffusion chamber 16. When it is open, this valve causes chamber 16 to communicate with duct 3. Alternatively, the seat of valve 19 could be formed by the upper rim of diffuser 15.

lnla device as hereinbefore described, when air under pressure is introduced through tube 13 into reservoir l,'this'air, the pressure of which is exerted upon the surface of liquid 2', escapes through passages 18 into diffusion chamber 16 and in so. doing sustains a pressure loss, the resulting'pressure difference causing the liquid 2 contained in reservoir 1 to flow through-dipping tube 14 and nozzle 17 and to be atomized and discharged through duct 3 into theengine inlet manifold as valve 19 is raised.

In this particular embodiment, the passages 18 which effect the atomization also serve to allow the airor the vapors of liquid 2 contained in reservoir 1 to escape duringthe reservoir recharging process, as the liquid'2 is transferred from feeder tank4toreservoir1.

Itis necessary, according to thepresent invention, for the crdsssectional area in the transfer passageway 8 between feeder tank 4 and reservoir 1 to be smaller than the sum of the cross-sectional areas of the passages 18', whereby during recharging of reservoir 1 and irrespective of the pressure under which liquid 2 is transferred from feeder tank 4 to reservbir 1, the air or the vapors of the liquid 2 passing through the passages 18 cannot create, in diffusion chamber 16; a pressure drop in relation to the interior of reservoir 1 capable of causingliquid 2 to be sucked through dippin'g tube 14 and nozzle l7 and to be atomized. before it leaves chamber 16 and reaches the engine inlet manifold through duct'3.

The pressure which holds valve 19 against its seat and which depends upon'the rate of spring 20 must obviously be less than the pressure of the expelling gas contained in feeder tank 4, which pressure" preferably does not exceed 4' kilograms per square centimeter at 20 C.

wBetween filler union 9 and reservoir 1, for instance downstream of filler valve 10, is mounted a filter 21 which prevents the ingress of any foreign matter into reservoir 1.

Reservoir l is preferably made of a transparent or translucid, material in order to enable its filling to be monitored and,

stopped when the-liquid2 reaches the required level which level must in nocase reach'the inlet openings (ifpassages' m.

1. An auxiliary carburetor for starting a cold internal combustion engine which comprises:

a tank forstoring liquid fuel.

an inlet means'thrdughwhich said tank can be refilled which comprises a hollow male element provided at the upper portion of said tank whichis adapted to operate-a valve in a container providing liquid fuel under pressure to refill said"auxiliary -carburetor and an openin'grin said male clement cooperating with acheck valve disposed betweenrsaidopening andsaid tank; i a first duct-'e'ndi'riglintheupper part of said tank to supply air thereto; and art-outlet means through which the fuel and air are directed into the engine disposed on the-upper portion of said tank which comprises a ductconnected-on oneend to the engine and the other-with a first opening in theupper portion of the't'ank and further comprising a tube protruding downward into the lower portion of the tank and which" is in connec'tion'with said duct having at least one bypass opening in said tube communicating with the upper por tion of said tank, a check valve being provided'in said duct downstream-of said bypass opening.

2. An auxiliary carburetoraccording to claim 1 wherein 'said opening provided in said elongated male element has an axis transverse to thelongitudinal'axis of said maleelement and in which sa'idmale element is locatedin a'recess' adapted to receive iman interlocking manner said refilling container inorder to eliminate any spillingin the refilling operation;

3. An auxiliarycarburetor according to'claim 1 wherein the cross-sectional area of the opening-in said-male el'ementis less than the cross-sectional ar''aof the bypass opening. 

1. An auxiliary carburetor for starting a cold internal combustion engine which comprises: a tank for storing liquid fuel; an inlet means through which said tank can be refilled which comprises a hollow male element provided at the upper portion of said tank which is adapted to operate a valve in a container providing liquid fuel under pressure to refill said auxiliary carburetor and an opening in said male element cooperating with a check valve disposed between said opening and said tank; a first duct ending in the upper part of said tank to supply air thereto; and an outlet means through which the fuel and air are directed into the engine disposed on the upper portion of said tank which comprises a duct connected on one end to the engine and the other with a first opening in the upper portion of the tank and further comprising a tube protruding downward into the lower portion of the tank and which is in connection with said duct having at least one bypass opening in said tube communicating with the upper portion of said tank, a check valve being provided in said duct downstream of said bypass opening.
 2. An auxiliary carburetor according to claim 1 wherein said opening provided in said elongated male element has an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of said male element and in which said male element is located in a recess adapted to receive in an interlocking manner said refilling container in order to eliminate any spilling in the refilling operation.
 3. An auxiliary carburetor according to claim 1 wherein the cross-sectional area of the opening in said male element is less than the cross-sectional area of the bypass opening. 